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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26241865">It Happened in Vegas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/penumbria/pseuds/penumbria'>penumbria</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargate Atlantis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Just write trope bingo, M/M, Pre-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:41:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26241865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/penumbria/pseuds/penumbria</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>John Sheppard is on leave and looking to celebrate his divorce.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rodney McKay/John Sheppard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>173</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Just Write! Trope Bingo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It Happened in Vegas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the Just Write Trope Bingo.<br/>Unbeta'ed.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span><strong>Title:</strong> It Happened in Vegas</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><strong>Series:</strong> Trope Bingo 2020</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><strong>Bingo Square</strong>: What Happens in Vegas</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><strong>Fandom:</strong> Stargate: Atlantis</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><strong>Note:</strong> The timing of when the two of them were in their circumstances may be a bit off but close enough. Set a year and a half or so before the SGA pilot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><strong>Summary:</strong> John Sheppard is on leave and looking to celebrate his divorce.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <br/>
  <span>Captain John Sheppard leaned against the bar in one of the drinking establishments in his hotel. It being a hotel that also held a large casino and being located in Las Vegas meant that there were a good number of those in the building. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John was surprised that the place was so empty, only having four other patrons, two at the bar, and two at a table together. Granted, it was only just after 5 in the evening, but it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vegas</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Too many people at the dinner buffets or the poker tournament, he supposed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John had hoped to find a hookup right away, he wasn’t usually so impatient but his divorce had been final for over 36 hours and he wanted to get laid. He’d never cheated on Nancy and other than when they signed the papers, he hadn’t seen her for over six months. And even then, their relationship had been so rocky that they’d only slept together twice during his week-long leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John turned around and ordered a beer. If he wasn’t going to find someone to take upstairs, he was going to get a bit drunk, instead. He’d been in Iraq for over two years and he was shipping out to Afghanistan in four days. The new posting had come with a promotion to major upon his arrival on base and while he appreciated the pay bump, he was sick of the desert and the war. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ironic that he chose to come to Vegas - a desert town - for his leave but the appeal of the idea that the town was a tourist mecca and people didn’t talk about what they got up to was the deciding factor. After all, there were no bullets here. And the air conditioning was top notch. But as they say, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A man behind him chuckled and slid up to the bar. “Their advertising firm who came up with that slogan really made their fee, didn’t they?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John turned his head. “Did I say that out loud?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man, slightly heavyset, with hair that looked like it wanted to thin but wasn’t quite ready to recede just yet, nodded his head. “Yep. Mumbled a bit but it was spoken.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John rolled his eyes. “And this is only my first beer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you eaten? I get odd and fluttery when I don’t eat. I need to keep my blood sugar up. I tend toward hypoglycemia.” The man bit his lip and sighed. “And you’re wondering why I told you that when I don’t even have the excuse of having a beer to blame.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John smirked. “I ate a few hours ago but I should probably have something more. I didn’t think about it because I wanted to get laid or barring that, I wanted to get drunk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man raised his eyebrows. “I wouldn’t think you’d have a problem with that. Getting laid. Or getting drunk, as demonstrated by recent speech issues.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I get by when I try, but not many prospects around just now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not many?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John shook his head. “Nope. But one just walked into the bar, so things may be looking up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other man looked over his shoulder. “I don’t see anyone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John smirked and leaned in. “That’s because you aren’t looking in the mirror.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The mirror? Oh! You mean me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John nodded. “That an issue with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. No, I’m - no. No problem.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, what do you say? Wanna blow this joint? I’ve got a room upstairs and I want to celebrate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man smirked. “I’d rather blow you. What are you celebrating?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John laughed and got up from his stool leaving a few bucks behind. “A promotion and my divorce.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, nice to know you aren’t a closeted cheater. And I just got back from a horrible, cold, assignment that my bosses sent me on when I wasn’t even exactly qualified. Well, I mean, I’m a genius and I figured it out and knew the basics and was able to do the job but it wasn’t really my field but they made me go and now I’m back and -“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John pushed the number of his floor on the elevator and pulled the guy to him, cutting off his babbling with a deep kiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. Huh. Okay. Yeah. So, um, right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John smiled as they exited the elevator and he unlocked his room. He slid the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the handle and closed the door. He turned to the other man and pulled him close. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m John.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man sighed, “Rodney.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, Rodney, still want to blow me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rodney nodded frantically, “Fuck yes, of course, I do, have you seen you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John started to undress with military efficiency when Rodney pushed him backward and John allowed it, landing on the bed. Rodney opened John’s belt and unzipped his pants before pulling them down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is gonna be a great weekend, John.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you put that mouth of yours to work, Rodney?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rodney smiled and sank to his knees, proving to John that it wasn’t just in his work that he was a genius. The weekend was indeed great and the only times they got out of bed was to have sex in the giant bathtub in the room and to bring in room service.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>==</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rodney laid in the bed, naked, his skin glistening with sweat, and his eyes heavy-lidded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John smiled as he sat up. “Thanks for helping me celebrate, Rodney.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My pleasure. I wish we could do this again but I know the score. I work not too far from here but you came to Vegas, specifically, for a reason.” Rodney rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand. “And it was the one you were mumbling when we met. Like I said, I would love an encore but I won’t out you, John. I won’t try to find you or figure out your last name. I’ve worked around and for the military for a long time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John’s eyes narrowed. “Military?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Contractor, not a soldier. I recognize the mannerisms </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the tan line from your dog tags’ chain.” Rodney traced a finger over John’s neck. “I’m Canadian, though I live and work in the U.S. for the most part and I think your military’s ridiculous policy about gays is nonsense. But I don’t and wouldn’t make trouble for someone over it. I feel for men like you who have to hide part of who they are to live the life they want. I’m pretty sure you’re going to a dangerous place. You have that vibe. I won’t pry. Like I said, I won’t try to ID you. And John is a very generic name. If it even is your real name. And if it isn’t, I understand that, too. Though I do think it is. Maybe we’ll meet again and we can have our encore but that is up to the forces of the universe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John leaned over and kissed Rodney. “It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> my real first name. And maybe we will, someday. Thanks for a great weekend celebration. And thanks for not - yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rodney smiled and nodded in return. “Good luck and fly safe, John.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>John walked to the bathroom and got dressed and when he came back, Rodney had slipped out, leaving a note on the pillow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Here’s hoping for someday but until then, what happens in Vegas. R.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>==</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A year and a half later, John flew a helicopter and evaded an out of control drone and fell down an icy rabbit hole. He sat down in a chair and the ceiling lit up as the chair reclined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A never forgotten voice spoke, “Major, think about where we are in the universe.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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